Africa CDC declares Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC province

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern Ituri province, with approximately 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths reported as of May 15, 2026. Initial laboratory testing at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale in Kinshasa detected the virus in 13 of 20 samples analyzed, with four deaths confirmed among laboratory-confirmed cases. The outbreak has been traced mainly to the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, with additional suspected cases reported in the provincial capital Bunia. Preliminary findings indicate this is a non-Zaire strain of the Ebola virus, and genetic sequencing is underway to further characterize the variant. Africa CDC has expressed particular concern about the risk of further spread due to the urban nature of affected areas, intense population movement, mining-related mobility in Mongwalu, regional insecurity, gaps in contact tracing, and infection prevention challenges. The agency has convened an urgent coordination meeting with DRC, Uganda, South Sudan, WHO, UNICEF, and other global partners to address immediate response measures, cross-border surveillance, laboratory support, and resource mobilization. Ebola, which was first identified in what is now DRC in 1976 and is believed to have passed to humans from bats, causes severe hemorrhagic fever with symptoms including high fever, muscle pain, and organ failure. The disease has a case fatality rate of between 60 and 80 percent and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated materials. DRC has experienced multiple Ebola outbreaks over the past five decades, with its deadliest occurring between 2018 and 2020 when nearly 2,300 people died. The country had also reported another outbreak in Kasai province between September and December 2025, representing the 17th outbreak since the virus was first discovered.